Reduced Sodium Natural Cheese And Method Of Manufacturing

ABSTRACT

A reduced sodium natural cheese product and a method of manufacturing a reduced sodium natural cheese product having a mixture of raw milk, fermentation cultures, and a quantity of curdling agent. The reduced sodium natural cheese product has a predetermined amount of sodium chloride and a reduced moisture content, wherein the reduced sodium natural cheese product has a sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio that is at least about twenty percent less than the sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio of a corresponding conventional natural cheese. The process of manufacturing a reduced sodium natural cheese product includes controlling the salt-to-moisture contents ratio to maintain the highest possible salt-to-moisture ratio in a reduced sodium cheese by deliberately reducing the moisture content in the finished cheese.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority benefit of provisional application Ser.No. 61/289,587 filed Dec. 23, 2009, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to food products, andparticularly to a method for making a natural cheese product and anatural cheese product having a reduced sodium content and moreparticularly having a sodium-to-moisture content ratio within aspecified range.

Salt (sodium chloride) plays a major role in the manufacture of cheese.It causes moisture expulsion from cheese curd, it controls bacterialactivity, and it provides taste and enhances flavor in the final cheeseproduct. When the amount of salt added to cheese curd during the cheesemaking process is reduced, the resultant cheese suffers from being highin moisture content, having a lowered degree of bacterial control, andtasting bland. The cheese also has a reduced shelf life due to thehigher moisture content and the lowered bacterial control.

In the past, the removal of sodium from cheese was achieved by reducingthe amount of salt (sodium chloride) that was added to the cheese curdduring manufacture. Depending upon the reduction in the amount of saltthat was added, the resulting cheese thus was characterized by theaforementioned problems, namely higher moisture level, bland flavor, andreduced shelf life.

Prior attempts to reduce the salt content in cheese products, other thannot adding as much salt, include using ultra-filtration of the milk atthe beginning of the process, addition of soluble proteins, or addingpotassium salts. Potassium salts are used as a salt substitute inreduced sodium products, but such salts contribute to off-flavors in thecheese products. Such methods typically do not result in commerciallyacceptable cheese products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The disadvantages and limitations of the background art discussed aboveare overcome by the present disclosure.

This disclosure described a method for manufacturing a natural cheesehaving at least twenty-five percent less sodium chloride than acorresponding conventional natural cheese having a conventional moisturecontent, a conventional sodium chloride content, and a conventionalsodium chloride-to-moisture ratio. The method includes establishing acheese milk from a quantity of milk that is prepared for the manufactureof cheese by adding a quantity of fermentation cultures. The methodfurther includes adding rennet to the cheese milk as well as adding areduced amount of sodium chloride to the resultant cheese curd mixture.

The method also includes processing the cheese curd mixture to produce anatural cheese product while simultaneously reducing the moisturecontent of the cheese curd mixture such that the natural cheese producthas a sodium chloride content that is no more than about seventy-fivepercent of the sodium chloride content of a corresponding conventionalnatural cheese and such that the natural cheese produce has a sodiumchloride-to-moisture ratio that is at least about twenty percent lessthan the sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio of a correspondingconventional natural cheese. The moisture content of the cheese curd isreduced by at least one of a group of procedures consisting of: reducingthe cheese curd particle size; increasing the cook temperature of thecheese curd; increasing the stir-out time after cooking the cheese curdmixture; increasing the rate of acid production; separating the cheesecurd from whey at a higher acidity level; increasing the rate of drystirring of the cheese curd prior to the addition of sodium chloride;and any combination of two or more of these procedures. The processproduces a reduced sodium natural cheese. The raw milk may bepasteurized before combining with the fermentation cultures and addingthe rennet. The process may also include the step of performing pastafilata. The process may also include the step of cheddaring the cheesecurd mixture.

There is also provided a method of manufacturing a reduced sodiumnatural cheese including combining, as a cheese milk mixture, a quantityof cheese milk and cheese starter cultures. Adding rennet to the cheesemilk mixture and adding a reduced amount of sodium chloride to thecheese curd mixture. The method further includes reducing the moisturecontent of the cheese curd below a selected level to produce a naturalcheese product having a sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio that is atleast about twenty percent less than the sodium chloride-to-moistureratio of a corresponding conventional natural cheese by one or moreprocesses selected from the group consisting of: reducing the cheesecurd particle size; increasing the cook temperature of the cheese curd;increasing the stir-out time after cooking the cheese curd mixture;increasing the rate of acid production; separating the cheese curd fromwhey at a higher acidity level; and increasing the rate of dry stirringof the cheese curd.

There is further provided a reduced sodium natural cheese productincluding a mixture of cheese milk and cheese starter cultures. Thereduced sodium natural cheese product also includes a quantity of rennetand a predetermined amount of sodium chloride and a reduced moisturecontent. The reduced sodium natural cheese product has a sodiumchloride-to-moisture ratio that is at least about twenty percent lessthan the sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio of a correspondingconventional natural cheese. In another embodiment the reduced sodiumnatural cheese product have a moisture content that is at least abouttwo percent less than the moisture content of a correspondingconventional natural cheese. The reduced sodium natural cheese productcan be cheddared or subject to a pasta filata procedure and aged for apredetermined time period resulting in one of a Cheddar Cheese, a ColbyCheese, a Colby Jack Cheese, a Monterey Jack Cheese, a Pepper JackCheese, an Asadero Cheese, or a Queso Quesadilla Cheese.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other advantages of the present disclosure are best understoodwith reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a process for making a reducedsodium natural Cheddar Cheese;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a process for making a reducedsodium natural Colby-Jack Cheese;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a process for making a reducedsodium natural Mozzarella, a Provolone Cheese, and String Cheese; and

FIG. 4 is a chart showing the moisture content, the sodium chloridecontent, and the sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio for nine conventionalnatural cheeses as compared to nine reduced sodium natural cheesesproduced according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the conventional manufacture of cheese, milk is processed to producea semi-solid mass called cheese curd. During the milk processing aliquid is also formed called whey. During the manufacturing process ofthe cheese, the cheese curd is separated from the whey by severalprocesses that will be explained below. Although salt (sodiumchloride)is an important ingredient in natural cheese, a reduced saltnatural cheese is beneficial and market enhancing.

Applicant has discovered that by controlling the salt to moisture ratioit is possible to maintain the highest possible salt to moisture ratioin a reduced sodium cheese by deliberately reducing the moisture contentin the finished cheese. By reducing the level of moisture content from aconventional moisture range, wherein the reduced sodium natural cheeseproduct has a sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio that is at least abouttwenty percent less than the sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio of acorresponding conventional natural cheese, it is possible to reduce theamount of sodium chloride added to the cheese curd. Such reduction ofsodium chloride and reduced moisture allows obtaining the highestpossible sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio whereby the produced naturalcheese product does not suffer from a bland flavor or reduced shelf lifeas typically occurs when the sodium chloride content is reduced withoutan appropriate reduction of the moisture content of the finished cheese.In accord with this method and process of this disclosure, thesalt-to-moisture ratio target of a selected cheese is close to, but lessthan, the salt-to-moisture ratio of a conventional cheese of the sametype.

In prior art processes, some reduced sodium cheeses rely on proceduresthat include ultra-filtration or reversed osmosis which add additionalcost and steps in the cheese making process. The present disclosure doesnot utilize or require ultra-filtered milk nor rely on a reverse osmosisprocess. Other prior art methods of producing a low sodium cheese relieson the addition of soluble proteins. As will be discussed below, thepresent disclosure utilizes only insoluble proteins such as casein.Soluble proteins need not be used in the natural cheese manufacturingdisclosed herein.

Referring now to the Figures, FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic chart 10 ofan exemplary embodiment for making a reduced sodium natural CheddarCheese. The illustrated process in FIG. 1 is also used for making anAsadero Cheese and a Queso Quesadilla Cheese as would be understood byone ordinarily skilled in the art of making cheese but for the reducedsodium procedures described herein.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, raw milk 30 is pasteurized, for example bysubjecting the raw milk to high heat in a pasteurizer apparatus raisingthe temperature of the raw milk to approximately 162-165 degreesFahrenheit for an appropriate amount of time to comply with applicablefood standards. Pasteurization 32 is accomplished in a pasteurizer in aplate heat exchanger where steam or hot water flows on one side of astainless steel plate and the raw milk 30 flows on the other side. Thesteam/hot water does not mix with the milk. In a preferred embodimentthe raw milk 30 is pumped from a milk silo to a pasteurizer apparatus.In the pasteurizer the temperature of the raw milk is raised to 163degrees Fahrenheit, held for 15 seconds and then cooled to approximately90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fermentation cultures 34, also referred to as cheese starter cultures,such as, for example, lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis or lactococcuslactis subsp. cremoris or streptococcus thermophilus is added to thepasteurized milk in a conventional cheese vat 38. After the fermentationcultures 34 are added to the pasteurized milk, a curdling agent, such asrennet (hereinafter referred to as rennet), is added to the mixture. Therennet addition 36 can be of animal or microbial origin. Coloradditives, such as color Annatto 62, and flavoring additives can also beadded to the mixture. If color Annatto 62 is added to the cheesemixture, the resulting Cheddar Cheese 10 will be yellow in color. If thecolor Annatto 62 is not added, the resulting Cheddar Cheese will bewhite.

The mixture of pasteurized milk, fermentation cultures 34 and the rennet36 are contained within a conventional cheese vat 38 sized to containthe volume of mixture to be converted to cheese.

The mixture of milk, fermentation cultures 34 and rennet 36 are allowedto coagulate 40 in the cheese vat 38 for a selected period of time asdetermined by the cheese maker with the temperature of the mixturemaintained at a predetermined temperature, for example 90 degreesFahrenheit. During the coagulation 40 of the milk mixture the cheesecurd and whey are formed.

The cheese maker then performs various processes such as cutting 42,cooking 44 and draining the whey 46 to reduce the moisture content ofthe cheese curd mixture. There are several additional procedures(described below) that can be performed on the cheese curd mixture toreduce the moisture content to a moisture target range, for example asodium chloride-to-moisture ratio that is at least twenty percent (20%)less than the sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio of a correspondingconventional natural cheese (i.e. mild Cheddar Cheese and several othercheese types listed on FIG. 4), determined by the cheese maker.

One such procedure is the reducing of the cheese curd size by a cuttingprocess 42. The cheese curd, in the cheese vat 38, can be cut by hand orby a mechanical cheese curd cutter. To reduce the curd particle size, acutting harp has its wires placed closer together. The cutting is auniform breaking up of the curd mass which is done to facilitate therelease of whey that is trapped in the curd mass. In the case of anautomated cheese curd cutting system the cutting speed and cutting timecan be increased whereby further reduction in curd particle size can befacilitated. The cheese vat can be an open vat or a closed vat asdetermined by the cheese maker.

Moisture content of the cheese mixture can also be reduced by increasingcook temperature of the cheese curd during a cooking step 44 during thecheese making process. The temperature of the cheese curd mixture can beincreased to a predetermined temperature between 100-115 degreesFahrenheit by a steam jacket associated with the cheese vat 38 or othersuitable temperature increasing apparatus. (Different cheeses havedifferent bacterias which have different temperature tolerances.) Theincreasing of the cooked temperature is governed by the type offermentation cultures 34 so as not to deactivate the cultures, andrennet enzyme 36 used to make the cheese. The higher the temperature tothe maximum temperature allowed would cause more syneresis of the cheesecurd mixture to occur. Syneresis is the separation of liquid whey fromcurd that is caused by contraction of the cheese curd mixture during thecooking 44 procedure of the cheese making process. Such process expelswater, i.e. reduces moisture content, from the cheese curd mixture.

An additional procedure that is used to reduce moisture content is toincrease stir-out time after the cooking process 44 of the cheese curdmixture. Increased stirring of the cooked cheese curd mixture allows foradditional syneresis to occur whereby further reducing the moisturecontent of the cheese curd mixture.

A further procedure to reduce the moisture content is to increase therate of acid production in the cheese curd mixture. Increasing the rateof acid production is achieved by using a fast acid producing starter orby using a higher addition rate of the starter. The starter is thefermentation cultures 34 (also referred to as cheese starter culture)mentioned above.

An additional procedure to reduce the moisture content is accomplishedby separating the cheese curd mixture from the liquid whey at a higheracidity level. A higher acidity level means that there is a lower pH ofthe cheese curd mixture. The higher acidity level can be controlled byadding more of the fermentation cultures during the cheese makingprocess.

As one or more of the above mentioned procedures are performed on thecheese curd mixture, the liquid whey is drained from the cheese vat by awhey drainage step 46 resulting in a more dry cheese curd mixture. Anadditional dry stirring process 50 is typically performed on the cheesecurd mixture and additional moisture can be extracted from the cheesecurd mixture by increasing the rate of dry stirring 50. Such increasedrate of dry stirring 50 can be accomplished manually or by an automatedapparatus as determined by the cheese maker.

It should be understood that one or more of the above describedprocedures can be performed on the cheese curd mixture to deliberatelyreduce the moisture content of the cheese curd mixture.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a cheddaring procedure 52 is then performed onthe cheese curd mixture. Cheddaring typically includes blocks of curdbeing positioned on top of each other to expel moisture. The blocks ofcurd are flipped and rotated periodically as determined by the cheesemaker.

As an alternative to dry stirring 50, a matting process 48 well known inthe art can be performed on the cheese curd mixture to further reducethe moisture content by separating additional liquid whey from thecheese curd.

A typical follow-up procedure is to take the cheddared curd and subjectit to a milling process 66 to grind the curd in preparation for theaddition of the sodium chloride 54 to the cheese curd mixture. It shouldbe noted that in some prior art processes for making a reduced saltcheese the salt addition is made to the liquid retentate prior to curdformation. As disclosed above, the subject procedures adds salt (sodiumchloride) after curd has been formed in the cheese vat. It should beunderstood that additional pressure can be applied to the blocks of curdin a pressing step 56, such as by mechanical apparatus, for example apress.

As discussed above, the cheddared curd is milled prior to the additionof the sodium chloride to the cheese curd mixture. As illustrated inFIG. 4 the reduced sodium mild cheddar has a moisture reduction of atleast 5.16 percent as compared to the conventional mild cheddar and italso has a sodium chloride reduction of 28 percent compared to theconventional mild cheddar. The resulting sodium chloride to moisturereduction ratio is 24.08 percent and such reduction of moisture and lesssodium chloride in the resulting cheese product as compared to aconventional cheese product allows obtaining the highest possible sodiumchloride to moisture ratio whereby the produced natural cheese productdoes not suffer from a bland flavor or reduced shelf life as compared toa conventional cheese product which in the present example is a mildCheddar Cheese.

FIG. 4 also lists the moisture reduction, percentage of sodium chloridereduction, and resulting sodium chloride-to-moisture reduction ratio ofa reduced sodium Asadero and reduced sodium Queso Quesadilla Cheesescompared to conventional like cheeses. The process described hereinprovides for the highest possible sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio forthese natural cheese products without suffering a bland flavor orreduced shelf life as compared to like types of conventional cheeseproducts.

Following the addition of the sodium chloride 54, the cheese curdmixture can be subjected to additional steps such as pressing 56,blocking, storing to age the cheese, packaging 58, and storage 60. Thepackaging 58 can be for example blocks, slices, or a shreddedcomposition as determined by the cheese maker for wholesale and retailsales. The cheese curd mixture can be stored for a selected period oftime to age the cheese (also referred to as ripening of the cheese)prior to final packaging, as determined by the cheese maker.

Referring now to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic chart portion 16for an exemplary embodiment for making a reduced sodium Colby-JackCheese. As illustrated, in FIG. 2, the left side portion 12 of theschematic chart diagram illustrates production of a Colby Cheese. Theright side portion 14 of the schematic chart illustrates the productionof a Monterey Jack Cheese. A Pepper Jack Cheese utilizes the sameprocess with the addition of pepper added before the salt additives. TheColby Cheese 12 and the Monterey Jack Cheese are combined to produce aColby Jack Cheese as illustrated in the schematic chart portion 16 ofFIG. 2.

For production of the Colby Cheese shown in the process 12 the stepsdescribed above for the Cheddar Cheese shown in the process 10 aresimilar from the raw milk 30 step through the cheddaring 52 step withthe addition of adding color Annatto 62 to the cheese curd mixture priorto addition of the fermentation cultures 34 and the rennet 36 but afterthe pasteurization step 32. The color Annatto 62 addition will provide ayellow color to the Colby Cheese. Also, during the whey drainage step 46there is an additional curd washing 64 as part of the whey drainagestep.

In reference to the Monterey Jack process 10, the production steps asdescribed above for the Cheddar Cheese process 10 are similar with theexception that no coloring is added to the Monterey Jack cheese curdmixture. Further, in the cooking step 44 the maximum temperature of thecurd is slightly lower in Monterey Jack process 14 than the cookingtemperature used for the Cheddar Cheese process 10 production. Oneordinarily skilled in the art would be aware of the lower maximumtemperature of the curd for production of Monterey Jack. Also, forMonterey Jack production the cutting 42 step of the curd results in alarger curd cut than used for production of Cheddar Cheese. The steps oflarger curd cut and the lower maximum temperature of the curd results ina higher moisture content in Monterey Jack than in Cheddar Cheese whichresults is the basic difference between the two cheeses as would be wellknown by one ordinarily skilled in the art. The Pepper Jack cheese isproduced with the same process but pepper is added to the curd eitherbefore the salt is added or shortly after the salt is added.

The right side of FIG. 2 illustrates the process 14 for producingMonterey Jack type cheese and for producing Pepper Jack type cheese(with the addition of pepper). The procedures for these types of cheesealso include the salt 54, processing 56, packaging 58, and ripening andstorage 60 steps but not the mixing of the Colby Cheese illustrated onthe left side of FIG. 2.

As illustrated in FIG. 2 both the Colby Cheese and the Monterey JackCheese are subjected to the cheddaring process 52 as described above andthe resulting curd is milled 66 to mix the Colby 12 and Monterey Jack 14into a single cheese curd mixture of Colby Jack Cheese 16.

After the milling process 66, sodium chloride is added to the combinedColby and Monterey Jack cheese curd mixture. As illustrated in FIG. 4the reduced sodium Colby-Jack Cheese has a moisture reduction of 6.46percent less than the moisture content average for conventionalColby-Jack Cheese. Further, the sodium chloride reduction is 31.25percent less than the sodium chloride average of conventional Colby-JackCheese. The resulting sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio reduction is25.93 percent less than the sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio average ofconventional Colby-jack.

FIG. 4 also lists the moisture reduction, percentage of sodium chloridereduction, and resulting sodium chloride-to-moisture reduction ratio ofthe reduced sodium Monterey Jack and reduced sodium Pepper Jack cheesescompared to conventional like cheeses. The process described hereinprovides for the highest possible sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio forthese natural cheese products without suffering a bland flavor orreduced shelf life as compared to like types of conventional cheeseproducts.

Following the addition of the sodium chloride to the combined Colby andMonterey Jack cheese curd mixture, the cheese curd is pressed 56 andblocked and packaged 58. The resulting reduced sodium Colby-Jack Cheese16 can be stored and ripened as determined by the cheese maker. TheColby-Jack Cheese can be packaged in block form, slices, or shreddedform again as determined by the cheese maker.

Referring to FIG. 3 there is illustrated a schematic chart for anexemplary embodiment for processes 18, 20, and 22 for making a reducedsodium natural Mozzarella Cheese, a reduced sodium Provolone Cheese, ora String Cheese, respectively. The steps illustrated from the raw milkstep 30 through the matting 48 and dry stirring 50 step is similar tothe description of production of the Cheddar Cheese as set forth above.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, after the matting 48 or dry stirring 50 stepthe cheese curd mixture is subjected to a Pasta Filata 68 process whichis well known in the art of cheese making. Following the Pasta Filata 68step the sodium chloride is added to the cheese curd mixture by a soakin a brine solution for a selected period of time and at a selectedtemperature as determined by the cheese maker. (Alternately, a portionof the sodium chloride can be added prior to the brining step.)

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the sodium chloride reduction for a reducedsodium LMPS Mozzarella Cheese, a reduced sodium String Cheese, and areduced sodium smoked Provolone Cheese is illustrated. In each exemplaryembodiment case the sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio reduction is atleast 20 percent less than the sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio averagefor a conventional Mozzarella, String Cheese or Provolone Cheese.Specifically, the sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio reduction for thereduced sodium LMPS Mozzarella Cheese is 23.68 percent less thanconventional Mozzarella; the sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio reductionfor reduced sodium String Cheese is 24.8 percent less than the sodiumchloride-to-moisture ratio average of conventional String Cheese; andthe sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio reduction for reduced sodiumsmoked Provolone is 22.83 percent less than the sodiumchloride-to-moisture ratio average for conventional smoked Provolone.

After the brine soak 70 step the cheese curd moisture for MozzarellaCheese, Provolone Cheese, and String Cheese are packaged 58 and stored60 as determined by the cheese maker.

For purposes of the present application, the moisture content test ofthe respective cheese curd mixtures is based on standard methods forexamination of dairy products (SMEDDP) vacuum oven. The sodium chloridetest is based on the standard methods for examination of dairy products(SMEDDP) coulometric titration.

It should be understood that the specific moisture reduction, sodiumchloride reduction, and sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio reduction mayvary because of the time of year or the type of milk being used by thecheese maker for any specific batch of cheese. It is believed by theApplicant that the reduced sodium natural cheese product will have asodium chloride content that is no more than 75 percent of theconventional sodium chloride content of a corresponding conventionalnatural cheese and that the reduced sodium natural cheese productproduced as disclosed in the present application will have a sodiumchloride-to-moisture ratio that is at least about 20 percent less thanthe sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio of a corresponding conventionalnatural cheese. The moisture content of the cheese curd for theparticular type of cheese being produced is reduced at least by one ormore procedures of a group of procedures described and listed above. Asdetermined by the cheese maker, one or any combination of two or more ofthe procedures can be used to reduce the moisture content of aparticular cheese being manufactured.

In addition to the reduced sodium natural cheese types described above,the methods and processes described in this disclosure can be used toproduce reduced sodium natural cheese typically referred to as “AmericanStyle Cheeses,” for example but not limited to Monterey Jack, PepperJack, Asadero, Queso Quesadilla, etc. (See FIG. 4)

Although the foregoing description of the present product and method hasbeen shown and described with reference to particular embodiments andapplications thereof, it has been presented for purposes of illustrationand description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit thedisclosure to the particular embodiments and applications disclosed. Itwill be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that a numberof changes, modifications, variations, additions, or alterations to theproduct and method as described herein may be made, none of which departfrom the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. The particularembodiments and applications were chosen and described to provide thebest illustration of the principles of the disclosure and its practicalapplication to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art toutilize the disclosure in various embodiments and with variousmodifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All suchchanges, modifications, variations, and alterations should therefore beseen as being within the scope of the present disclosure as determinedby the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadthto which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.

1. A method for manufacturing a natural cheese having at leasttwenty-five percent less sodium chloride than a correspondingconventional natural cheese having a conventional moisture content, aconventional sodium chloride content, and a conventional sodiumchloride-to-moisture ratio, the method comprising: providing a cheesemilk mixture including a quantity of raw milk and a quantity offermentation cultures; adding rennet to the cheese milk mixture tothereby produce a cheese curd mixture; adding a reduced amount of sodiumchloride to the cheese curd mixture; and processing the cheese curdmixture to produce a natural cheese product while simultaneouslyreducing the moisture content of the cheese curd mixture such that thenatural cheese product has a sodium chloride content that is no morethan about seventy-five percent of the conventional sodium chloridecontent of a corresponding conventional natural cheese and such that thenatural cheese product has a sodium chloride-to-moisture ratio that isat least about twenty percent less than the sodium chloride-to-moistureratio of a corresponding conventional natural cheese, wherein themoisture content of the cheese curd is reduced by at least one of thegroup of procedures consisting of: reducing the cheese curd particlesize; increasing the cook temperature of the cheese curd; increasing thestir-out time after cooking the cheese curd mixture; increasing the rateof acid production; separating the cheese curd from whey at a higheracidity level; increasing the rate of dry stirring of the cheese curdprior to the addition of sodium chloride; and any combination of two ormore of these procedures.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:during said processing step, reducing the moisture content of the cheesecurd mixture such that the natural cheese product has a moisture contentthat is at least about two percent less than the moisture content of acorresponding conventional natural cheese.
 3. The method of claim 1,further comprising the step of forming the cheese curd mixture into apredetermined product shape.
 4. The method of claim 3, furthercomprising the step of packaging the predetermined product shape inselected quantities.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooktemperature of the cheese curd is less than the temperature that willdeactivate the fermentation cultures.
 6. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising the step of cheddaring the cheese curd mixture.
 7. The methodof claim 6, wherein the cheese curd mixture comprises one of a CheddarCheese, a Colby Cheese, a Colby Jack Cheese, a Monterey Jack cheese, aPepper Jack cheese, an Asadero Cheese, and a Queso Quesadilla Cheese. 8.The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of performing pastafilata, wherein the step of adding an amount of sodium chloride isperformed by immersing the cheese curd mixture in a brine solution at apredetermined temperature after performing pasta filata.
 9. The methodof claim 8, wherein the cheese curd mixture comprises one of aMozzarella, a Provolone, and a String Cheese.
 10. The method of claim 1,further comprising the step of aging the cheese curd mixture apredetermined time before packaging the cheese curd mixture.
 11. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising the step of pasteurizing the rawmilk before combining with the fermentation cultures and adding therennet.
 12. A reduced sodium natural cheese product made by the processof claim
 1. 13. A method for manufacturing a reduced sodium naturalcheese comprising: combining, as a cheese milk mixture, a quantity ofraw milk and cheese starter cultures; adding rennet to the cheese milkmixture to thereby produce a cheese curd mixture; adding a reducedamount of sodium chloride to the cheese curd mixture; and reducing themoisture content of the cheese curd mixture below a selected level toproduce a natural cheese product having a sodium chloride-to-moistureratio that is at least about twenty percent less than the sodiumchloride-to-moisture ratio of a corresponding conventional naturalcheese by one or more processes selected from the group consisting of:reducing the cheese curd particle size, increasing the cook temperatureof the cheese curd, increasing the stir-out time after cooking thecheese curd mixture, increasing the rate of acid production, separatingthe cheese curd from whey at a higher acidity level, increasing the rateof dry stirring of the cheese curd.
 14. The method of claim 13, furthercomprising: during said reducing step, reducing the moisture content ofthe cheese curd mixture such that the natural cheese product has amoisture content that is at least about two percent less than themoisture content of a corresponding conventional natural cheese.
 15. Themethod of claim 13, wherein the cook temperature of the cheese curdmixture includes a temperature that does not exceed the temperature thatwill deactivate the cheese starter cultures.
 16. The process formanufacturing a reduced sodium chloride natural cheese of claim 13,including forming the cheese curd mixture into a predetermined productshape.
 17. The method of claim 16, including packaging the predeterminedproduct type in selected quantities.
 18. The method of claim 13,including the step of cheddaring the cheese curd mixture.
 19. The methodof claim 18, wherein the cheese curd mixture is one of a Cheddar Cheese,a Colby Cheese, a Colby Jack Cheese, a Monterey Jack Cheese, a PepperJack cheese, an Asadero Cheese, and a Queso Quesadilla Cheese.
 20. Themethod of claim 13, including a step of performing pasta filata and thestep of adding an amount of sodium chloride is by immersing the cheesecurd mixture in a brine solution at a predetermined temperature and timeperiod after performing pasta filata.
 21. The method of claim 20,wherein the cheese curd mixture is one of a Mozzarella, a Provolone, anda String Cheese.
 22. The method of claim 13, including the step of agingthe cheese curd mixture a predetermined time before packaging the cheesecurd mixture.
 23. The method of claim 13, including pasteurizing the rawmilk before combining with the fermentation cultures and adding rennet.24. The product made by the process of claim
 13. 25. A reduced sodiumnatural cheese product comprising: a mixture of raw milk and cheesestarter cultures; a quantity of rennet; and a predetermined amount ofsodium chloride and a reduced moisture content, wherein said reducedsodium natural cheese product has a sodium chloride-to-moisture ratiothat is at least about twenty percent less than the sodiumchloride-to-moisture ratio of a corresponding conventional naturalcheese.
 26. The reduced sodium natural cheese product of claim 25,wherein the moisture content of the reduced sodium natural cheeseproduct is at least about two percent less than the moisture content ofa corresponding conventional natural cheese.
 27. The natural cheeseproduct of claim 25, wherein the natural cheese product can be heated upto a predetermined temperature that does not exceed a temperature thatwill deactivate the cheese starter culture.
 28. The natural cheeseproduct of claim 25, wherein the cheese product is cheddared.
 29. Thenatural cheese product of claim 28, wherein the cheese curd mixture isone of a Cheddar Cheese, a Colby Cheese, a Colby Jack Cheese, a MontereyJack Cheese, a Pepper Jack Cheese, an Asadero Cheese, and a QuesoQuesadilla Cheese.
 30. The natural cheese product of claim 25, whereinthe cheese product is subject to a pasta filata procedure.
 31. Thenatural cheese product of claim 30, wherein the cheese curd mixture isone of a Mozzarella, a Provolone, and a String Cheese.
 32. The naturalcheese product of claim 25, wherein the cheese product is aged apredetermined time period.
 33. The natural cheese product of claim 25,wherein the cheese product is configured in predetermined packagedquantities.